Northern India is witnessing an unrelenting heat wave at the moment. The capital recorded a temperature of 48 degree Celsius yesterday, creating a record high for the month of June.
As a means to escape the torturous heat, quite naturally, a lot of tourists head to hill stations to experience the cool Shimla air.
That said, what most people don’t realise is that some of our best summer getaways such as Shimla, Nainital and Ooty, to name a few, are experiencing what experts are calling overtourism. A combination of macroeconomic factors and changing business trends have led to tourists crowding popular destinations.
Overtourism, as a result, has led to environmental degradation, economic impoverishment and a reported rise in crime rates. That’s a major inconvenience to locals, in a nutshell.
And this irreversible damage has popular hill stations asking one question: is there anything that can be done about being too popular?
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Gone are the days when magnificent oak and pine trees would drape rugged mountain slopes or when the night sky was lined with stars as far as the naked eye could see and it was possible to have a soul-stirring experience just walking down winding hill station roads.
Now, the skyline is full of high rise hotels and apartments, the rivers full of trash and the roads are blocked due to an excessive movement of tourist buses and cars. Why? Because tourists just won’t stop showing up.
Here’s a list of all the hill stations that are under threat due to tourist onslaught and it’s your responsibility, dear tourist, to choose and treat your destination with care.
1. Shimla
As per the latest reports, at least 5000 vehicles are entering Shimla on an average. This number further goes up during weekends, which aggravates the problem for both the tourist and the tourist spot due to lack of proper parking facilities.
Referring to this development, Shimla Deputy Superintendent of police said that as Shimla does not have enough parking spaces, visitors park their vehicles on roadsides, as the tourists have no other option, which is leading to traffic jams. The official added that as many as 120 cops have been deployed in the region to manage traffic.
What has this onslaught of tourists resulted in? Shimla, known to be a pollution free place, now has high rates of pollution. Water is scarce, electricity shortages are frequent and common, and the once quiet Mall Road is cluttered with vehicles, video parlours and vociferous tourists.
2. Mussoorie
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Mussoorie is witnessing a reverse metamorphosis: a beautiful butterfly regressing into an ugly caterpillar. The former colonial haven that evoked images of cool, undulating hills cloaked in a tapestry of brilliant green – have steadily slid downhill.
What has this onslaught of tourists resulted in? Mussoorie has been in the grip of an acute water shortage for two years – something unheard of in the past.
3. Ooty
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Ooty, planned for less than 10,000 people, is today forced to accommodate about 125,000 locals. On top of that the overflowing of tourists every month add further pressure on limited land and water resources.
Reports suggest that almost 17,000 people a day visited the Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam everyday since last Saturday, which is just a few thousand people more of the tourist footfall witnessed during the peak of the summer season last year.
What has this onslaught of tourists resulted in? Deforestation is a major concern in Ooty as accommodating the large number of people has become a challenge, which unfortunately is met not via evolved planning but by mindlessly clearing forests.
4. Mahabaleshwar
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The hill stations of Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats have been a popular location since British soldiers visited to escape the heat of the lowland plains.
Recently, owing to the growth of India’s consumer class, combined with increasing access to private and public transport, has led to problems such as the clearance of natural vegetation for hotels and facilities, the cutting of trees for fuel wood, increased pressure on water and electricity resources, pollution from vehicles, overcrowding and litter.
What has this onslaught of tourists resulted in? From a tranquil place for relaxing and appreciating nature to now becoming a commercialised resort, Mahabaleshwar’s tranformation is hard to ignore.
5. Darjeeling
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Darjeeling in West Bengal is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. It conjures visions of snow peaks, serenity of vibrant green hills steeped in splendor, a land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas and attracts young, adventurous and enthusiasts across the age groups.
Darjeeling receives around 3.5 lakh domestic tourists annually that has served as a bust to its greenery. The locals have now been left complaining about the lack of water.
What has this onslaught of tourists resulted in? Funny or not, make sure that the hotel you choose to stay in does not have a water shortage.
No one can take away from the fact that travellers and their direct investment in these destinations is vital to these hill stations but not at the cost of environmental degradation and a scarcity of basic resources that the locals face once tourists head back to their cities. Awareness, stricter laws and tourist taxes are required for our favorite summer getaways to survive.
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